Hulu teaming with Lee Daniels for Sammy Davis Jr. series starring Elijah Kelley
Hulu is teaming up with film director Lee Daniels to tell the story of singer Sammy Davis Jr. There will be an eight-episode series exploring the life of Davis Jr., told through the lens of his racial identity and relationship with the Black community. Actor Elijah Kelley will have the honor of portraying Davis Jr. […]
The Jussie Smollett case confused ‘Empire’ director Lee Daniels (video)
Prolific filmmaker and TV show producer Lee Daniels admits he was flummoxed by the sensationalized Jussie Smollett arrest, trial and conviction because that person doesn’t resemble the “boy that I cast” and the “boy that I love.” Smollett, 39, was well into his 30’s when he was cast to play the middle son in the […]
Mo’Nique and Lee Daniels finally make up after 13 years for new film
It appears that the decade-long feud between Academy Award-winner Mo’Nique and Lee Daniels has finally come to an end. The comedic actor is set to replace Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (The Help) on the set of the horror film Demon House which is being directed by Daniels. The film is about an exorcism. Netflix reportedly […]
LeToya Luckett and Morris Chestnut to star as power couple in new series
R&B songstress and actress LeToya Luckett has been added to the cast of Lee Daniels’ upcoming Fox drama series “Our Kind of People.” The former Destiny’s Child member will star alongside YaYa DaCosta and Morris Chestnut in the upcoming series inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s book, Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class. […]
Lee Daniels, Tasha Smith and Morris Chestnut team up to develop new TV series
Actress Tasha Smith and Lee Daniels are teaming up for the new Fox series “Our Kind of People,” as Smith has been tapped to direct the pilot and second episodes of the upcoming show. The new Fox drama series will star Yaya DaCosta and Morris Chestnut has just signed on as her lead opposite. The […]
Lee Daniels claims Hugh Jackman wanted him to direct a ‘Wolverine’ film
Lee Daniels has a few Hollywood directorial smashes on his hands like The Butler and Precious and crushed the television world too with shows like “Star and “Empire” but can you imagine him directing a saga from the X-Men and Wolverine movie franchises. According to Butler in an interview with Collider, the union had a […]
Chicago actress and media personality Erica Watson has died
Actress, comedian and media personality Erica Watson has died as a result of COVID-19 complications. Her brother shared information about the death of his sister in a Facebook post, saying she died on Saturday, Feb 27, 2021, in Jamaica. In 2010, Watson premiered her one-woman show, “Fat B—-,” in New York City. It focused and […]
Hulu releases official trailer for ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’
Lee Daniels is back with his new visionary film “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” The film, starring Andra Day, tells the story of Holiday’s battle with the federal government, which sought to stop her from singing her controversial and heart-wrenching ballad, “Strange Fruit.” The film will be released on Feb. 26, 2021, on Hulu. […]
‘Empire’ series comes to abrupt end due to pandemic
“Empire” will end prematurely on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. The popular hip-hop drama was always intended to finish at the end of its current sixth season, but after the global health pandemic forced filming to be shut down, it will now end on episode 18 of the finale series. The FOX show’s writers Lee Daniels […]
Jussie Smollett could return to ‘Empire’ next year
There is a possibility that Jussie Smollett could return to the hit television show “Empire.” The 37-year-old actor — who played musician Jamal Lyon in the drama — had been accused of having orchestrated a racist and homophobic attack on himself back in January. Although he had the case against him dropped in March, he […]
Why Lee Daniels will reportedly pay Dame Dash’s $950K child support bill
Dame Dash’s child support troubles could be solved by a former colleague. According to TMZ, Lee Daniels will likely be forced to cover Dash’s child support bill. The mothers of Dash’s children, Rachel Roy and Cindy Morales, have taken the former record label executive to court for his failure to pay child support. Dash was […]
Media maven Tonia Grady has every area of entertainment on lock
Tonia Grady is a media mogul extraordinaire. She has been in the entertainment industry for over 25 years. Her work and coverage have helped to launch the careers of film director Lee Daniels and assisted Tom Joyner with his HBCU initiatives. Rolling out spoke with Grady about her career, her challenges and her brand, Gradygirl. […]
Fox CEO reveals final decision about Jussie Smollett’s role on ‘Empire’
Fox CEO Charlie Collier has announced his final decision about Jussie Smollett’s return to “Empire” after he was accused of staging a hate attack on himself. The 37-year-old actor — who played musician Jamal Lyon in the drama — was accused of having orchestrated a racist and homophobic attack on himself back in January, and […]
Mo’Nique to Lee Daniels: Cancellation of ‘Empire’ and ‘Star’ is karma
Mo’Nique is circling back like a shark to rip at virtually every person whom she has had a feud with over the past 15 years, including Whoopi Goldberg, Charlamagne Tha God, Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry. One of the Hollywood heavyweights Mo’Nique has also feuded with for a decade is prolific director Lee Daniels, who […]
Why ‘Empire’ actor Taye Diggs says Jussie Smollett should be brought back
“Empire” actor Taye Diggs says producers of the hit Fox show cut ties with embattled thespian Jussie Smollett much too hastily, even though his legal troubles have not been resolved in a court of law or in the court of public opinion. Diggs, 48, who is best known for his film roles in The Best […]
Jussie Smollett unfollows ‘Empire’ director Lee Daniels
In a move that appears to signal feelings of betrayal and abandonment, ex-“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett has unfollowed his former boss who made him a household name through the weekly drama series. According to TheJasmineBrand, Smollett stopped following “Empire” creator, producer and director Lee Daniels this past week. There were a couple of recent developments […]
Lee Daniels is ‘beyond embarrassed’ he rushed to believe Jussie Smollett
After initially and reflexively jumping in to defend “Empire” star Jussie Smollett after he was charged with allegedly staging a fake homophobic and racist attack, show creator and director Lee Daniels said he is “beyond embarrassed” about that. He also indicated that he has his doubts about Smollett’s version of accounts. “I think that when […]
‘Empire’ creator Lee Daniels makes final decision on Jussie Smollett
The creators of the ratings-busting Fox show “Empire” respond to reports that beleaguered star Jussie Smollett is being written back into the show’s final season. Creator and director Lee Daniels, 59, who also directed the critically acclaimed The Butler and Academy Award-winning Precious, shot back at a report from Variety magazine that said Smollett, 37, was […]
Lee Daniels discusses the anger and sadness the ‘Empire’ cast has endured
Lee Daniels has admitted the cast and crew of “Empire” have been through “pain and anger and sadness and frustration” due to the Jussie Smollett scandal. The 36-year-old actor was dropped from the final two episodes of the fifth season of the musical drama after he was accused of orchestrating a racist and homophobic attack on himself […]
‘Empire’ may get canceled over Jussie Smollett?
If “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett is guilty of perpetrating a fraud of a beatdown, he may not only go to prison and be out of a skyrocketing Hollywood career, but he may drastically impact the pockets of the entire “Empire” cast and crew. That’s because “Empire,” which set the nation on fire when it first […]